• Ride 1. Crystal Palace
  • Ride 2. Haggerston

Ride 1. Haggerston to Canada Water

Green Bridge, Mile End
Green Bridge again
Ragged Museum Cafe

Small group boarded Overground (Windrush Line) train at Canada Water and met up with a larger group at Haggerston. Total of 17 includng leader.(Bruce) anad backstop. Looped through London Fields, then walked Broadway Market (buzzing). Joined the Regents Canal, keeping off the towpath as much as poassible. Lots of runners, walkers and dogs. Made it slowlyt to Victoria Park where had a bit more room to ride. Back on the towepath briefly at Old Ford Lock. Kept to Mile End Park for nexct stretch including crossing the Green Bruidge over the A11 at Mile End. Shortly afterwards reached the Ragged School Museum. Locked up bikes on the road side. Were requested to not use the original Victorian railings next to the musem. Not a problem as plenty modern railings available. Cafe very busy but usefully there is now an extra coffee outlet on the Canal side. Had a bit of a sit in the sunshine then continued on the towpath to Limehouse Basin. Heading west along the Thames path with usual diversion on to the pavement (Dual Use) on the Highway, then into King Edward Memorial Park. Work on the Tideway site is pretty much finished and another small extra piece of dry land looks as though it will shortly be opeining. Continued along the ornamental canals to St Katherines and Tower Bridge. Half the riders headed home from Tower Bridge and the remainder enjoyed a last couple of kilometers riding mostly Cycleway 4 and 14 to Canada Water. Always an interesting route. Really smooth ride – trains on time, cafe satisfactory, no-one fell in the canal. All good!

Thanks to Eva for back marking. Route at https://goo.gl/zuUrvb 

Ride 2. Dulwich to Crystal Palace Park

Waterlink Way bridge over Pool River
Crystal Palace “Laptop”
Photos from Amanda and Paula

Notes from Ride Leader Amanda: “It was a good ride, made so much better by the sunshine. That was a surprise as I had expected grey and 17mph winds as forecast earlier.  Surfaces could have been slippery had we been able to have gone round the regular route, I had earlier that morning devised a diversion that would have included a bit of historical interest (old palace poles, statues, view along the top etc,) this would have included walking up a muddy path and down the other side, but none seemed keen to learn and having thoroughly read the R A decided against it anyway.  We stayed on path east side. When I mentioned no coffee, some were genuinely mortified!  So I caved in and opted for the mobile coffee van. One even dared to state coffee break is the best bit! 13 on ride.”

Amanda's post to WhatsApp:
Maybe the last we will see of the bridge as along the Ravensbourne/Pool river interflow section as it is being closed throughout Feb for renovation [note we did a ride to this on 24th Jan]. No chance of seeing the dinosaurs or new layouts of the Italian gardens as barriers and muddy banks stopped us.  We stuck to the safe East side this time. Coffee stop at the laptop - a last minute decision to stop at this renovated wooden platform. Loved the outrageous musician posing done by Gloria, Barbara and Paula (all were invited to join in!) reminiscent of this stage’s former use.  To the right of its cover is a ramp entrance to the interior ‘star’s dressing rooms’ and toilets.  So well done for those whose persuasive dejected looks at the thought of not stopping for coffee, actually made us stop. A winter  ride made great by good company. Thank you all for coming. Thanks to Mike, Gloria and Jamie (+whistle) for assistance .

Note, Mobile coffee van is at the LapTop, the old outdoor stage, see photos.

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